Founded in May 2004 by Mark Stoddard — a retired U.S. Army Major and semi-professional guitarist with over 30 years of playing experience — Lava Cable began as a made-to-order cable operation run out of a garage in Missouri. After building a cable for himself and noticing the impact on his tone, Stoddard started offering custom cables to other guitarists. Shortly after founding the company, he deployed to Afghanistan with a U.S. Army Special Forces Battalion, famously bringing a roll of cable with him and building cables for fellow soldiers in his downtime. By January 2006, Stoddard had expanded the operation to carry cables from over a dozen manufacturers, representing the majority of the world's instrument cable designs, before developing Lava's own proprietary cable and plug line.

Based in Jackson, Missouri, Lava Cable designs and manufactures instrument cables, speaker cables, power cables, and solder-free pedalboard cable kits. The product lineup includes the Tightrope solder-free pedalboard kit (one of the brand's most popular offerings), the Soar high-end instrument cable with dual 22 AWG 99.99% pure OFC solid copper conductors, the Magma and Blue Demon instrument cables, the Tephra speaker cable, the Retro Coil vintage-style coiled cable, and the Van Den Hul hybrid instrument cable. All Lava cables are built to military specification standards and carry a lifetime warranty. The company holds a patent on its DC power plug design.

Lava Cable products are distributed through major retailers including Sweetwater, Guitar Center, Musician's Friend, and Chicago Music Exchange, with a presence in over 70 countries through more than 350 authorized dealers. RapcoHorizon acquired Lava Cable in June 2018, and the brand operates under ACT Entertainment's portfolio.

Lava Cable has 14 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Instrument Cables and Effects Pedal Accessories. Their gear is featured by 7 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock and Metal. Notable users include John Dyer Baizley, Gina Gleason, and Masaru Teramae.